Diagnostic genosensor for detection of rotavirus based on HFGNs/MXene/PPY signal amplification.

A novel genosensor was developed for rotavirus specific cDNA sequence detection. The genosensor was comprised of hierarchical flower-like gold nanostructures, MXene, and polypyrrole (HFGNs/MXene/PPY) nanocomposite as a signal amplification tag, specific antisense ssDNA oligonucleotide as a recognition bioelement, and methylene blue (MB) as a redox marker. The morphological and electrochemical features of the biosensor were first tested and optimized and the high performance of the platform was confirmed in terms of sensitivity and reproducibility. Then, 20 rotavirus RNA isolated from clinical and cell-cultured samples (10 positive and 10 negative confirmed by RT-PCR and electrophoresis methods) were evaluated by the genosensor. The analysis results revealed that the genosensor is able to differentiate successfully between the positive and negative control groups. The developed genosensor for rotavirus RNA detection presented an excellent limit of detection of ∼ 0.8 aM and a determination  range of  10-18 and 10-7 M. In addition, the ssDNA/HFGNs/MXene/PPY/GCE showed high selectivity and long-term stability of ~ 24 days. Therefore, this novel genosensor would be of great benefit for the clinical diagnosis of rotavirus.

CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knocking out of OPN gene enhances radiosensitivity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line.

PURPOSE: Although chemotherapy and radiotherapy in conjunction with surgery have been known as the standard methods for patients with breast cancer, they frequently face resistance due to the failure of cells to death. Accordingly, improving the results requires discovering novel therapeutic approaches based on the changes in the molecular biology of cancer cells. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted protein that previous studies have shown to be associated with progression, poor prognosis, and metastasis in breast cancer. The current study examined the synergistic effects of radiotherapy and knocking out of OPN gene, utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 technique in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. METHODS: We used to knock out the OPN gene by the two different gRNAs. The cells irradiated 24 h after transfection. The mRNA expression, tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, growth, and apoptosis were measured. Moreover, activation of Chk1 and AKT were measured via western blot. RESULTS: We demonstrated the OPN knocking out along with radiation led to the promotion of apoptosis, suppression of downstream genes, reduction of cell viability, and inhibition of cell-cycle progression. The western blot analysis has indicated that the knocking out of the OPN gene along with radiotherapy changes DNA damage responses substantially. CONCLUSIONS: The OPN gene knocking out with radiotherapy might be an efficient approach to overcome the radioresistance in breast cancer.

Curcumin inhibits the replication of rotavirus in vitro.

Rotavirus is the most important etiological agent of infectious diarrhea in children under 5 years of age with more than 125,000 deaths occurring annually worldwide. The present study aims to determine the effect of curcumin, a natural polyphenol compound, on rotavirus in a cell culture model. The anti-viral activity of curcumin was evaluated by reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), TCID50, and western blot techniques to assess CC50 in curcumin-treated MA104 cells as well as EC50 and SI within the infected MA104 cell line. Our findings supported that curcumin exerted an inhibitory influence against rotavirus in a dose-dependent manner and decreased the viral titer and VP6 expression by ~99% at a concentration of 30 µM (p Keywords: curcumin; rotavirus; RT-qPCR; in vitro; anti-rotavirus agent.

Frequency of Hepatitis B Markers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease. Hepatitis B virus is the causative agent for chronic, acute, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.  SLE patients with chronic or occult hepatitis B infection undergoing immunosuppressive drugs may become reactive and develop fatal hepatitis. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine HBV markers in SLE patients before the administration of immunosuppressive drugs in Ahvaz city, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sera of 92 SLE patients were  tested for HBs Ag and anti-HBc using ELISA, HBV DNA (by Nested PCR) testes. Real-time PCR was performed for the patients with positive anti-HBc and negative HBsAg. The positive HBV DNA samples were checked for HBV genotype and HBV subtypes. RESULTS: Among the 92 SLE patients, three (3.3%) were males and 89 (96.7%) females . The patients' ages ranged from 14 to 70 years [mean age of 38.9±10.1]. Three of 92 (3.26%) subjects [2/3 males and 1/89 female] were positive for HBsAg, anti-HBc Ab, and HBV DNA detected with PCR (p=0.000003)].  Five of 89 (5.61%) subjects [1 male and 4/88 females were only positive for anti-HBc and negative for HBs Ag, HBV DNA(PCR) using Real-time PCR (p=0.05).  The results of the nucleotide data and phylogenetic tree showed all three HBV patients were genotype D1. The results of amino acid sequencing revealed all three HBV patients were HBV subtype ayw2. CONCLUSION: This study proved that 3.26% of SLE patients were positive for overt HBV infection (positive for anti-HBc, HBsAg and HBV-DNA using PCR). All the three isolated HBV were genotype D1 and subtype ayw2. The fact that 5.61% of  the patients were only positive for anti-HBc characterized the occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) although further investigation is needed. To prevent HBV or OBI reactivation for SLE patients before immunosuppression treatment, HBV markers including anti-HBc, HBsAg, HBV-DNA should be implemented using PCR and Real-time PCR .

The role of microbiota in colorectal cancer.

Cancer is one of the most important causes of death throughout the world, and the mortality rate is increasing significantly due to the aging of the population. One of the most common types of cancer is colorectal cancer (CRC). Human microbial ecosystems use metabolism to make important impacts on the body physiology. An intensive literature review was made to investigate the correlations between human gut microbiota and the incidence of CRC. The results of these studies show that there are differences in the composition of microbiota between CRC patients and normal people and the microorganisms in CRC patients are very different from healthy individuals. Therefore, changes in the microbiome can be used as a biomarker for the early detection of CRC. On the other hand, the intestinal flora is may be act as a powerful weapon against CRC in the future.

Principles and Applications of CRISPR Toolkit in Virus Manipulation, Diagnosis, and Virus-Host Interactions.

Viruses are one of the most important concerns for human health, and overcoming viral infections is a worldwide challenge. However, researchers have been trying to manipulate viral genomes to overcome various disorders, including cancer, for vaccine development purposes. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is becoming one of the most functional and widely used tools for RNA and DNA manipulation in multiple organisms. This approach has provided an unprecedented opportunity for creating simple, inexpensive, specific, targeted, accurate, and practical manipulations of viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), and vaccinia virus. Furthermore, this method can be used to make an effective and precise diagnosis of viral infections. Nevertheless, a valid and scientifically designed CRISPR system is critical to make more effective and accurate changes in viruses. In this review, we have focused on the best and the most effective ways to design sgRNA, gene knock-in(s), and gene knock-out(s) for virus-targeted manipulation. Furthermore, we have emphasized the application of CRISPR technology in virus diagnosis and in finding significant genes involved in virus-host interactions.

The evaluation of the overexpression of the ERG-11, MDR-1, CDR-1, and CDR-2 genes in fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans isolated from Ahvazian cancer patients with oral candidiasis.

INTRODUCTION: Resistance to azole drugs has been observed in candidiasis due to their long-term use and poor response to treatment. Resistance to azole drugs in Candida albicans isolates is controlled by several genes including ERG11, CDR1, CDR2, and MDR1. In this study, the expression of the mentioned genes was evaluated in C. albicans isolates susceptible and resistant to fluconazole. METHODS: After identifying the Candida isolates using morphological and molecular methods, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and drug susceptibility were determined using the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) method. RNA was then extracted and cDNA was synthesized from 24 C. albicans isolates from patients with cancer. Then, the mean expressions of these genes were compared in two groups using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: A total of 74 Candida isolates were obtained from the oral cavity of 61 cancer patients with oral candidiasis. After 24 h, 21.6% of the isolates were fluconazole-resistant, 10.8% were identified as dose-dependent, and the rest of the isolates (67.6%) were fluconazole-sensitive. The mean expressions of the CDR1 and MDR1 genes were significantly higher in the resistant isolates than in the sensitive ones. However, the ERG11 and CDR2 genes were not significantly increased in the resistant isolates. CONCLUSION: The increased mean expressions of the CDR1 and MDR1 genes had a greater effect on fluconazole resistance among the drug-resistant strains of C. albicans in chemotherapy patients. It seemed that the accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs in this organism stimulated some regulatory factors and increased the expression of these two genes and ultimately helped to further increase their expression and resistance to fluconazole.

Dual role of microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acids on host and pathogen.

A growing body of documents shows microbiota produce metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as crucial executors of diet-based microbial influence the host and bacterial pathogens. The production of SCFAs depends on the metabolic activity of intestinal microflora and is also affected by dietary changes. SCFAs play important roles in maintaining colonic health as an energy source, as a regulator of gene expression and cell differentiation, and as an anti-inflammatory agent. Additionally, the regulated expression of virulence genes is critical for successful infection by an intestinal pathogen. Bacteria rely on sensing environmental signals to find preferable niches and reach the infectious state. This review will present data supporting the diverse functional roles of microbiota-derived butyrate, propionate, and acetate on host cellular activities such as immune modulation, energy metabolism, nervous system, inflammation, cellular differentiation, and anti-tumor effects, among others. On the other hand, we will discuss and summarize data about the role of these SCFAs on the virulence factor of bacterial pathogens. In this regard, receptors and signaling routes for SCFAs metabolites in host and pathogens will be introduced.

Enhanced High Mutation Rate and Natural Selection to Produce Attenuated Viral Vaccine with CRISPR Toolkit in RNA Viruses especially SARS-CoV-2.

The best and most effective way to combat pandemics is to use effective vaccines and live attenuated vaccines are among the most effective vaccines. However, one of the major problems is the length of time it takes to get the attenuated vaccines. Today, the CRISPR toolkit (Clustered Regularly Inerspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) has made it possible to make changes with high efficiency and speed. Using this toolkit to make point mutations on the RNA virus's genome in a coculture of permissive and nonpermissive cells and under controlled conditions can accelerate changes in the genome and accelerate natural selection to obtain live attenuated vaccines.

Effect of Ionizing Radiation on the Transcript Variants Expression of p21 Gene.

PURPOSE: CDK1A is one of the most important genes that have different key roles in cell lines. This gene has several transcript variants. Investigating of expression of each one actually can be so important because any one of them may have a separate unknown role in cancer cells so can be used to increase therapeutic efficacy. METHODS: A549, MDA-MB-231 and Hek-AD cell lines were used in this study. Firstly, three primers for variants of p21 gene were designed by Snapgene and BLAST software. Secondly, the variants expression was checked for each cell lines by RT-qPCR technique, separately. Then the variants that expressed in the cells were selected for more investigation. Finally 2 Gy irradiation was used to evaluate the effect of that on variants expression. RESULTS: The results show that for all cell lines, primer num1 and 3 expressed before any stimuli. After irradiation, for MDA-MB-231 and A549, the expression of primer num3 was decreased, while for Hek-AD no change was observed. The primer num1 expression after the irradiation was different for the cells, V1 expression was decreased in A549 by fold of 0.03 while expression of this for MDA-MB-231 cells was not changed after 2Gy irradiation. CONCLUSION: It is very necessary to pay attention to the function of each splice variant as well as the response to external stimuli. Understanding the role of each variant in a gene is critical and researchers can use that to improve radiotherapy as well.

The combined effect of dichloroacetate and 3-bromopyruvate on glucose metabolism in colorectal cancer cell line, HT-29; the mitochondrial pathway apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is regarded as the first line treatment for colorectal cancer; however, its effectiveness is limited by drug resistance. The ultimate goal of cancer therapy is induction of cancer cell death to achieve an effective outcome with minimal side effects. The present work aimed to assess the anti-cancer activities of mitocans which can be considered as an effective anticancer drug due to high specificity in targeting cancer cells. METHODS: MTT (3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was performed to determine the effects of our mitocans on cell viability and cell death. Apoptosis and necrosis, caspase 3 activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS production in HT29 cell lines were analyzed by ApopNexin™ FITC/PI Kit, Caspase- 3 Assay Kit, MitoTracker Green and DCFH-DA, respectively. Moreover, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression level of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) genes in HT29 cell lines. RESULTS: Treatment with mitocans (3Br-P + DCA) inhibited the growth of HT29. Moreover, 3Br-P + DCA significantly induced apoptosis and necrosis, activation of caspase 3 activity, depolarize the mitochondrial membrane potential, and ROS production. At a molecular level, 3Br-P + DCA treatment remarkably down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2, while up-regulated the expression of Bax. CONCLUSION: Mitocans, in particular the combined drug, 3Br-P + DCA, could be regarded and more evaluated as a safe and effective compound for CRC treatment. Targeting hexokinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase enzymes may be an option to overcome 5-FU -mediated chemo-resistant in colorectal cancer.

A knockdown of the herpes simplex virus type-1 gene in all-in-one CRISPR vectors.

INTRODUCTION: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is a virus that causes serious human disease and establishes a long-term latent infection. The latent form of this virus has shown to be resistant to antiviral drugs. Clustered Regularly Interspace Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), is an important tool in genome engineering and composed of guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas9 nuclease that makes an RNA-protein complex to digest exclusive target sequences implementation of gRNA. Moreover, CRISPR-Cas9 system effectively suppresses HSV-1 infection by knockout of some viral genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To survey the efficacy of Cas9 system on HSV-1 genome destruction, we designed several guide RNAs (gRNAs) that all packaged in one vector. Additionally, we performed a one-step restriction using BamHI and Esp3I enzymes. RESULTS: CRISPR/Cas9 system targeted against the gD gene of HSV-1 was transfected into HEK-AD cells that showed a significant reduction of HSV-1 infection by plaque assay and real-time PCR. CONCLUSION: The pCas-Guide-EF1a-GFP CRISPR vector can create a fast and efficient method for gRNA cloning by restriction enzymes (Esp3I (BsmBI) and BamHI). Therefore, the CRISPR/Cas9 system may be utilized for the screening of genes critical for the HSV-1 infection and developing new strategies for targeted therapy of viral infections caused by HSV-1.

Frequency of OBI among Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is recognized as a serious disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells so untreated patients may consequently suffer from liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver failure. The role of viral infection may be involved in AIH. Presence of anti-HBc alone is a predictive signal of potential OBI. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the rate OBI among the patients with AIH. METHODS: The sera of 20 consecutive  patients with AIH were collected and tested for LFT (ALT, AST, ALP elevation), Immunoglobulin (IgG) level, bilirubin, anti -LKM-1, ASMA, ANA in titer, HBsAg, HBcIgG. The patients' sera were also tested for HBV DNA by nested PCR and Real-time PCR. RESULTS: Out of 20 patients, 10 (50%) were males and 10 (50%) females. The patients' ages ranged from 25 to 71 years with the mean age of 44.5±13.4. All patients' had elevated abnormal ALT and AST but their level of alkaline phosphatase was normal among the patients. All patients had IgG level>1.5 times upper than the normal limit. The patients' sera were negative for HBsAg and HBV DNA (by nested PCR and real- time PCR). Only 2 (10%) females with AHI type 1 (positive  ANA, ASMA in titers >1:100 were positive for HBcIgG while no OBI detection was found among the males (p=0.005)). All diagnosis of the AHI was confirmed by pathologist. The level of ALT, AST among the cases with positive and negative OBI were (p=0.000) and (p=0.003), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the present study, two OBI female patients with type 1 AIH were positive for anti-HBc but negative for HBsAg and HBV DNA. With regard to the consequences of OBI, prior to prophylactic treatment, it is recommended to screen HBV markers including anti-HBc in all diagnosed patients with AIH.
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Spermatogonia apoptosis induction as a possible mechanism of Toxoplasma gondii-induced male infertility.

OBJECTIVES: The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii as an intracellular protozoan is widely prevalent in humans and animals. Infection generally occurs through consuming food contaminated with oocysts and tissue cysts from undercooked meat. The parasite is carried in sexual fluids like semen but there is little information about the effect of T. gondii on the male reproductive system. In this study, we examined the effect of T. gondii tachyzoites on apoptosis induction in type B spermatogonia (GC-1) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh tachyzoites taken of infected BALB/c mice, GC-1 spg cells were infected with increasing concentrations of tachyzoites of T. gondii, then apoptotic cells were identified and quantified by flow cytometry. The genes associated with apoptosis were evaluated by RT2 Profiler PCR Array. RESULTS: PCR array analysis of 84 apoptosis-related genes demonstrated that 12 genes were up-regulated at least 4-fold and that one gene was down-regulated at least 2-fold in the T. gondii infection group compared with levels in the control group. The number of genes whose expression had increased during the period of infection with T. gondii was significantly higher than those whose expressions had decreased (18 versus 1) and Tnfrsf11b had the highest rate of gene expression. CONCLUSION: T. gondii induce in vitro apoptosis of GC-1 spg cells. This effect shows a trend of concentration-dependent increase so that with an increase in the ratio of parasite burden to spermatogonial cells, in addition to an increase in the number of genes whose expression has changed, the fold of these changes has increased as well.

Developing oncolytic Herpes simplex virus type 1 through UL39 knockout by CRISPR-Cas9.

OBJECTIVES: Oncolytic Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. However, development of novel oncolytic mutants has remained a major challenge owing to low efficiency of conventional genome editing methods. Recently, CRISPR-Cas9 has revolutionized genome editing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the capability of CRISPR-Cas9 to manipulate the UL39 gene to create oncolytic HSV-1. Herein, three sgRNAs were designed against the UL39 gene and transfected into HEK-293 cell line followed by infection with HSV-1 KOS. RESULTS: After three rounds of plaque purification, several HSV-1 mutants were identified by PCR analysis and sequencing. One of these mutations in which 55 nucleotides were deleted resulted in a frameshift mutation that in turn produced a truncated protein with only 167 amino acids from 1137 amino acids. Functional analysis in Vero and primary fibroblast cells revealed that viral replication was significantly lower and plaque size was smaller in the HSV-1 mutant compared with HSV-1 KOS. Moreover, the relative amount of viral genome present in the supernatants of infected cells (Vero and primary fibroblast cells) with HSV-1 mutant was significantly decreased compared with those of HSV-1 KOS. CONCLUSION: Our data revealed that targeting UL39 with CRISPR-Cas9 could develop oncolytic HSV-1.

Fractionated radiation promotes proliferation and radioresistance in bystander A549 cells but not in bystander HT29 cells.

AIMS: Recent studies suggest that direct exposure of cells to fractionated radiotherapy might induce radioresistance. However, the effects of fractionated radiotherapy on the non-irradiated bystander cells remain unclear. We hypothesized that fractionated radiotherapy could enhance radioresistance and proliferation of bystander cells. MAIN METHODS: Human tumor cell lines, including A549 and HT29 were irradiated (2 Gy per day). The irradiated cells (either A549 or HT29) were co-cultured with non-irradiated cells of the same line using transwell co-culture system. Tumor cell proliferation, radioresistance and apoptosis were measured using MTT assay, clonogenic survival assay and Annexin-V in bystander cells, respectively. In addition, activation of Chk1 (Ser 317), Chk2 (Thr 68) and Akt (Ser473) were measured via western blot. KEY FINDINGS: Irradiated HT29 cells induced conventional bystander effects detected as modulation of clonogenic survival parameters (decreased area under curve, D10 and ED50 and increased α) and proliferation in recipient neighbors. While, irradiated A549 cells significantly enhanced the radioresistance and proliferation of bystander cells. These changes were accompanied with enhanced activation of Chk1, Chk2 and Akt in non-irradiated bystander A549 cells. Moreover, both bystander effects (damaging and protective) were mediated through secreted factors. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that fractionated radiotherapy could promote proliferation and radioresistance of bystander cells probably through survival and proliferation pathways.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among HIV-infected patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) share the same rate of transmission. HIV/HCV co-infected individuals may result in faster progression of liver fibrosis and highly increase the risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma development. Thus this study was conducted to determine co-infection of HCV genotypes in positive HIV patients in Ahvaz city, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sera samples were collected from confirmed 78 infected HIV, 67 (85.89%) males and 11 (14.1%) females. All sera samples were tested for HCV Ab using ELISA test. The HCV Ab positive samples were tested for detection of 5' untranslated (UTR) and core regions of HCV genome using nested RT-PCR. The PCR products of 5UTR and core regions were sequenced to determine HCV genotypes. RESULTS: Among the 78 infected HIV, 25 (32.05%) cases including 20 (25.64%) males and 5 (6.41%) females were positive for HCV Ab (p=0.316). 53 (67.94%) of HIV patients were negative for HCV Ab. Among 25 positive HCV Ab, 19 (24.35%) cases including 15 (19.23%) males and 4 (5.12%) females were positive for HCV RNA (p=0.447). The PCR products of 5 positive samples were randomly sequenced. The results of sequences and alignments showed that the detected HCV genotypes were three 3a and two 1a. The occurrence of genotype HCV 1a was found in one male injecting drug user Injecting Drug User (IDU) and one female. The HCV 3a genotype was detected in the three males IDU. CONCLUSION: The results of this survey indicated that 32.05% of HIV patients were positive for HCV Ab, among them 24.35% were positive HCV RNA. HCV genotype 3a was dominant and detected in the three males IDU. Regarding the consequences of HIV/HCV co-infection, it is suggested that HCV RNA detection should be regularly checked in individuals infected with HIV.

Gene expression in human liver fibrosis associated with Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato.

Liver fibrosis is a dynamic process that occurs in response to chronic liver disease resulting from factors such as chronic infections, autoimmune reactions, allergic responses, toxins, radiation, and infectious agents. Among the infectious agents, multicellular parasites cause chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Twenty-five patients with different stages of cystic echinococcosis (CE) were enrolled in the study. The expression of ACTA2, COL3A1, IFN-γ, MMP2, MMP9, TGF-ß1, and TNF-α genes was determined by qRT-PCR in healthy and fibrotic liver tissue of the CE patients. TGF-ß1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and histology was conducted to assess the development of liver fibrosis. Expression of MMP9, ACTA2, COL3A1, and MMP2 was found significantly higher in the fibrotic tissue compared to healthy tissue. We observed a significant correlation between TGF-ß1 and TNF-α gene expressions and liver fibrosis. The mRNA level of IFN-γ was lower in the fibrotic than in the healthy hepatic tissue. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed TGF-ß1 upregulation in the fibrotic tissue. Histology showed inflammation and fibrosis to be significantly higher in the fibrotic tissue. The findings of this study suggest that Echinococcus granulosussensu lato can promotes fibrosis through the overexpression of TGF-ß1, MMP9, ACTA2, COL3A1, and MMP2. The downregulation of IFN-γ mRNA in fibrotic samples is probably due to the increased production of TGF-ß1 and the suppression of potential anti-fibrotic role of IFN-γ during advanced liver injury caused by E. granulosussensu lato.

Human adenovirus 36 improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles and increases inflammatory markers in Wistar rats.

Human adenovirus 36 (Ad-36) causes obesity with increased adiposity, in contrast, Ad-36 infection reduces glucose and lipid metabolism; the results, however, are not consistent. In the current study, the effects of Ad-36 infection on glucose and lipid profile and inflammatory markers in Wistar rats were investigated. Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into infected and control groups. Ad-36 virus suspension was injected in the experimental group rats. Blood samples were collected in the beginning and after 12 weeks in both groups. After 12 weeks, a significant improvement was observed in fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin, insulin sensitivity, serum triglycerides and total cholesterol in the infected group compared with the non-infected groups. There were no significant differences in inflammatory biomarkers including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels between infected and control groups. This study showed that Ad-36 had favorable effects on glycemic and lipid control in infected rats, but inflammatory biomarker levels were similar for 2 groups. Ad-36 infections could potentially be a new way to develop novel antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic therapeutic agents.

Identification of Candida Species and Antifungal Susceptibility in Cancer Patients with Oral Lesions in Ahvaz, Southern West of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Oral candidiasis is a common disease in cancer patients subject to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of rising oral candidiasis incidence and to identify the Candida species isolated from oral lesions of cancer patients and their antifungal sensitivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 645 patients with cancer were examined. Several Candida species were isolated from specimens and identified by morphological and molecular methods. The susceptibility of isolates to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and nystatin was also investigated. RESULTS: A total of 74 isolates of Candida were recovered from oral cavity of 61 cancer patients with oral candidiasis. The isolates included Candida albicans (n = 56; 75.5%), Candida glabrata (n = 4; 5.4%), Candida krusei (n = 5; 7%), Candida tropical (n = 7; 9.4%), and Candida kefyr (n = 2; 2.7%). A total (n = 72; 98.65%) of isolates were susceptible to nystatin, (n = 58; 78.4%) of them were susceptible to fluconazole, and (n = 8; 10.8%) of susceptible dose-dependent isolates were specified, (n = 46; 62.16%) of isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. CONCLUSION: Finally, in addition to emphasis on topical nystatin application in the first stage of oral candidiasis in these patients, using alternative systemic drugs such as fluconazole and amphotericin B can be considered for the resistant candida isolates to nystatin.